Here’s A Shocker

The heckler who tried to accost George Allen at a campaign appearance was a Kos diarist who was trying to provoke a response against Allen. Now that isn't at all surprising in this utterly awful campaign season. What is very, very surprising is that the AP is reporting it straight – including the man's threat to try to provoke a response.

Mike Stark, a liberal blogger and first-year University of Virginia law student, approached Allen at an event in Charlottesville, loudly asking, "Why did you spit at your first wife, George?" according to witnesses.

Three men, all wearing blue Allen lapel stickers, immediately grabbed Stark, dragged him backward and slung him to the carpet outside a hotel meeting room, according to video captured by WVIR-TV in Charlottesville.

Stark said later in a telephone interview with The Associated Press: "I am a constituent. I am allowed to ask my U.S. senator questions."

A new statewide poll conducted for CNN showed Allen's Democratic challenger, former Navy Secretary Jim Webb, with a slight lead in a bitterly contested race that could help determine whether the GOP retains control of the Senate.

In a Monday posting on "Calling All Wingnuts," the blog Stark publishes, he hinted that he would attempt to provoke Allen before the TV cameras.

"Im also trying to `Roger and Me' George Allen whenever I can," Stark wrote, referring to director Michael Moore's 1989 documentary in which he repeatedly tried to confront former General Motors' chief executive Roger Smith about the company's downsizing.

That just wrecked the photo-op Stark planned it to be. Once people are informed that it was a straight-up stunt, they won't like the tactic. By trying to make it into a media event, including the interviews, he needed the press not to report that fact. But they did not cooperate this time. Interesting.

UPDATE: Ok, not as big a shocker here. The WaPo covers up the fact that it was preplanned, but does mention that Stark was shouting unsubstantiated charges from "liberal blogs"

8 Responses to Here’s A Shocker

Let’s see, Allen has refused to release records regarding his divorce…does he have something to hide? A constituent asks him (albeit in a somewhat unconventional manner, but how else would he ask Allen?) a question about rumors about his behavior. Allen’s henchmen manhandle the constituent.

All of that’s supposed to make Democrats look bad?

If Republicans really are “pro-family”, then they’ll demand that their Senate candidate answer charges regarding abusive behavior in his first marriage.

Awoken this morning by radio alarm with local yokel ‘news’ guy parroting dem talking points about ‘stalking stark’ incident. Then the first article I found was AP/bob lewis breathlessly reporting about serious-sounding ‘chokehold’ occurrence. Uh-oh! Citizen-journalist. Vet!! Ex-Marine!!! It certainly sounded important. Upon closer look, however, including at the video:

Apparent known stalker menacingly charges public servant engaged in campaign of ideas, screaming and knocking into several bystanders. When this ‘trained killer’ refuses to cease his attempted assault, he escalates the physical violence with those justifiably trying to remove him. Finally subdued and shown the door, he mutters ‘punk’.

I think Kerry was wrong and mean-spirited when he maligned our brave troops, stating that servicemembers don’t “make the most of it” (education), don’t “study hard, …do… homework and …make an effort to be smart”. But these demeaning words would seem to apply to Stark.

Stark’s website gives some clues about his depth of committment to and definition of free speech. There he advises one to “study the terrain carefully before you join the battle”, the final step being the ‘showdown”. We see in the video Stark studying the terrain as he careened through innocents in his attempt to assault Allen. This (one-man) mob rule is what goes for intellectual discourse for liberals.

It seems that Stark’s only other claim to fame is waving a poster with lurid words on it in front of a live-television camera during family hour. Another example of liberals’ engagement in the realm of ideas. Were those filthy words an ‘illuminative quote” from one of Webb’s porno works? Will Webb have the guts to apologize for these apparent criminal acts of his agent provocateur